evidentiy and eminently verificd in Chriſt; and indeed ſeem to be meant direftly of him. For ſeing there are many other Paſſages in thts Prophecy, which are dircly meant of Chriſt and of his Miniſtry, and not at all of the Prophet, why may not this be added to the number of them ? eſpecially conſidering that there is »nothing here which forceth us to underſtand this place of Iſaiah, and leveral of theſe paſſages are expounded of Chriſt in the new Teſtament, as is confefled, Beſides, this ſeems to ſuit beſt with the coherence : For according tothis Expoſition the ſame perſon ſpeaketh here who hath ſpoken in all the foregoing Verſes of the Chapter, even the Lord himſelf conſidered as Man, becauſe he was both God and Man, as' is aboundantly evident from many Scriptures. both of the old and new Teſtament, as hath been alreadyproved,and will hereafter be moreful- ly evinced.rAn ability. of ſpeaking plainly and convincingly,and per» ſuadingiy, and in all pvints ſo as becometh a perſon caught of God, and filled with all Divine and Heavenly Wiſdom and. Knowledge.and with a fingular :kill of winning Souls, and of workipg upon Mens Hearts and Coniciences, { Burdened with the ſenſe ofhis ſad and deplorable condition.in which caſe a word of comfort is moſt ſeaſon- able and acceptavles This was the proper and principal defign of Chritis Miniſtry, to give reſt and comfort to diftretſed Souls, accor- ding to what is ſaid, with reſpect to this place, Hat. 11. 28. And all the Dodtrines, reproofs and Threatnings of Chriſt were direfted to this end, to make men fit for comfort and Salvation. &þ To wit, me | the Pronoun being oft underſtood : or as it follows. mine car, #
From time to time, and continually, « Becauſe humane Nature is
of it ſelf weak and ſloathful, he by his Divine Power affiſteth and ſticreth me up to the obſervation and pradtice of all his Commands
and my Duties, x Either 1, As learned Men or Teachers uſe - to a-
waken their Scholars to hear, and learn of them from time to times
Or rather, 2, As thoſe that are or deſire and endeavour to be learn»
ed, uſe to hear with all poſſible attention and diligence: For this
Title of learned is in the former part of the Verſe given not to the
Teacher, who is ſaid to be God, but to the perſon taught 'by 'him.
5 The LORD GOD hath opened mine ear y,and I
was not * rebellious z, neither turned away back a. © #* Job. 14
» Hathrevealed unto me : Or rather, hath given me a power and : hor Will, to hear and receive his commands, as this phraſe is uſed, Fſal, phil. 5. $ 40. 6. 1a. 35. 5, and elſe where, 4. I readily did 2nd ſuffered p7eþ 10.6, what he required of me, a The ſame thing repeated inother words. &c. : I did not turn away mine Ear from hearing avy of Gods Commands, © nor my feec trom going where God ſent me, how difficult or dange- rous ſoever my employment was. He ſeems to allude to the former Prophets who had divers of them, ſhrunk back, and for a time re. fuicd ſuch work as God called them to, as Moſes, Exed. 3. 1, I3, Jo#ah, che 1. 3. and others,
6 *I gavemy back to the ſmiters 5, and * my cheeks any 26, to themthat plucked off the hair e: I hid not my face g 27 .264
from ſhame 4 and ſpicting e. | *Lams 3, b 1 patiently yeilded up my elf, and turned my back to thoſe 30,
who ſmote mie. I was willing not only to do, but to Tuffer the Will
of Gad, aud the Injuries of men. This and the following paſſages were
literally fulfilied ip Chriſt, as isexpreſly affirmed, Mat. 26. 57. 69.
and 27. 26, 30. and elſe where; but weread of no ſuch things con-
cerning iſaziah» And theiefore it 15 moſt ſafe and reaſonable te un- derſtand it of Chrift ; the rather becaule it is not uſual with thePros
phets to commend themſelves fo highly, as the Prophet here com-
mends the perſon of whom he ſpeaketh. c Which was a contumely
or puniſhmenr inf}i@ted upop MaletaRors, Neb. 13+ 25. 4 From all ' manner of reproachtull uſages. but did knowingly and willinely ſub-
mit my ſelf thereunto. e Spitting in a mans Face was uſed in token
of contempt and deteftation, Numb. 12. 14. Job 30.10. And this was - literally fulfilled in Chrift, Max. 26, 67. |
7 For fthe LORD GOD w:
;
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Ce en EREIe IIa one AED RAT Gare.
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will help me g, therefore - (hall I not be confounded 5: therefore have I fer my face like a fligt 3, and I kgow that I ſhall not be a-
gZ2 F[+;;
jap. ' LI. 1s 4
| f Or rather, But, as this particle is oft rendred. For Gods fa- your is here oppoſed to the injuriesof Men, g Though as a man I am weak and inconfiderable,yetGod will ſtrengthen me to go through my great and hard werk. h Therefore I aſſure my ſelf of ſucceſsin my employment, and of viRory over all mine Enemies. 7 I have hardened my ſelf with reſolution and courage againſt all oppoſition. So this or the like Phraſe is uſed, Exek. 3, 8, 9. which elſewhere ſignifies obſtinacy and impudence; as fer. 5- 3: Zech. 7, 12. ſo that Roſh, 8. It otes any ſettled and unmovyeable purpoſe, whether good or evil.
2. 33+ $ * He isnear & that juſtifieth me 7, who will con- Heb. #be tend with me ? let us ſtand together : who is | mine
je adverſary ? let him come near to me my, iy cauſe or k God, though he ſeem to be at a diſtance, and to hide his face mo. from mc, yet he is in truth atmy right hand, and ready to help me I That will publickly acquit me from all the calumnies of mine ad- verſaries who ſay that 1 am a tranſgreſfor of the Law, a falſe Teach- er and Deceiver, a Blaſphemer, and a Devil, and the like, in which opinionthey are confirmed by my Death and Sufferings. But God will clear up my Righteouſneſs, and ſhew by many and mighty ſigns and wonders, that he is well pleaſed with me and that lived and died his faithful Servant. m: T challenge all my Accuſers to ſtand and appear before the Judge Face to Face, and to produce all their charges againſt me: tor I am conſcious of mine own Innocency,and I know:that God will give ſentence for me. ] 9 Behold, the LORD GOD will help me, who - he zhat ſhall condemn me » ? Lo, they all o ſhall wax